Vaporizer



S. P. JONES Aug. 28, 1951 VAPORIZER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 20, 1945 Y INVENTOR. SamBJones ATTORNEY- S. P. JONES VAPORIZER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 20, 1945 J W 1/47/10 U M Aliza/la W INVENTOR. Sam R Jones BY 3 g 94 4% ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 28, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VAPORIZER Sam P. Jones, Dallas, Tex.

Application December 20, 1945, Serial No. 636,202

2 Claims. 1

Thisinventionrelates to new and useful improvements in Vaporizers.

Qne object of the invention is to provide an improved vaporizer particularly adapted to vaporize volatile liquids, such as hydrocarbon motor fuels and to prevent superheating of the vapors or gas.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improved vaporizer that will vaporize a volatile liquid, especially under low pressures, and deliver a vapor or gas which will be more uniform in temperature, throughout a range of operation, than is possible with vaporizers now in common use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved vaporizer that will not crack .or burst when used with water or a water bearing liquid.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved vaporizer wherein a reduction in pressure results in the release of a large volume of vapor or gas and also wherein, substantially no reduction in pressure results in the release of vapor or gas immediately upon contact of the volatile liquid with the heat exchange surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved vaporizer including an enclosure having a liquid vaporizing chamber and a heat transfer chamber separated from the first chamber by a heat exchange wall, together with means in the chambers for causing fluids flowing therethrough to take circuitous paths or whereby, vapors evolved in the vaporizing chamber may by-pass the circuitous-path means.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a vaporizer constructed in accordance with the invention and connected with component operating elements,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the vaporizer,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view indicated on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view indicated on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, the numeral designates a fiat, rectangular body, closed by a relatively flat top cap H and a relatively fiat bottom cap l2, having their edges flush with the outer surface 2 of the body. Rectangular sealing gaskets l3 ar interposed between the marginal walls H of the body and the caps, the inner edges of said gaskets conforming to the inner contours of said marginal walls. The walls M are formed with inwardly projecting, upright bosses l5, l5 and 16 which have screw-threaded sumps [6 in their upper and lower ends to receive machine screws ll passing through the caps and gaskets, whereby said caps are detachably secured to the body.

The body is divided by a horizontal partition or wall l8, into an upper, vaporizing chamber A and a lower, heat transfer chamber B. The partition is integral with the walls l4 and bosses l5 and the upper chamber is preferably deeper than the lower chamber. In the upper chamber, upright transverse baflies or fins l9 and 20, respectively, are disposed in alternate order. The baffles l9 have their ends terminating short of the walls H, but adjacent thereto and are located between the bosses Ill. The baffles 20 are integral with the bosses l5 and extend therefrom with their ends terminating short of the, longitudinal center of the body, thus providing gaps or openings 2|, between their adjacent ends.

Beyond each end baffle 19, short baffles or defiectors 22 extend from the adjacent bosses l5 and each deflector is directed at an angle to the transverse axis of the body, toward the adjacent baflle l9. Between the baffles 22 at each end of the body, oppositely facing upright guards 23 are provided. The baflles, deflectors and guards are all preferably made integral with the partition 18 and have their upper edges flush with the upper edge of the body wall l4 and they provide circuitous flow paths longitudinally along each side of the body, as is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. The baffles, deflectors and guards which have been described are located in the chamber A and these elements are duplicated in the chamber B below the partition l8 and vertically alined therewith; therefore, the same reference numerals are applied to the lower baflles, deflectors and guards.

The cap I I has an upstanding internally screwthreaded inletboss 24 at one end and a similar outlet boss 25 at its opposite end. These bosses are disposed so as to communicate with the spaces defined by the guards 23. An inlet boss 26 and an outlet boss 21 are similarly located on the cap [2. The bottom cap l2 may have an internally screw-threaded boss 21' to receive a drain plug 28. By observing Figs. 2 and 4 it will be observed that the top cap H has an elongate shallow recess 29 extending from end --more vapors will be to end thereof; while the bottom cap has a similar recess 36. These recesses form by-passes between the inlets and outlets.

In using the vaporizer the inlet boss 24 of the vaporizing chamber A is connected with a fuel supply line 0, whereby liquid fuel, such as a butane-propane mixture, may flow to said chamher. This line may include a pressure regulator D. A gas delivery ,lineE is connected .tothe boss 25 and preferably includes a pressure regulator F. A supply hose or other suitable conductor G is connected with the boss 28 for supplying a heating fluid to the heat transfer chamber B; while a discharge hose H is connected to the outlet boss 27.

The heat transfer medium must be of such temperature as to producethe necessary heatto vaporize the'volatile liquid. Where the vaporizer is used with an internal combustion engine, the hose G and the hose H may be connected with the water circulating :system thereof or .in the exhaust system of the engine. 'It is obvious that the circulating heat transfer fluid will heat the' body It including thebafiies l8 and 20, defiectors'22 and 'guards23, through the partition 18, which acts as a heat exchange element. The volatile liquid entering the chamber A will be arrested by the guard 23 below the inlet 24 and then caused to flow through the circuitous paths indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. This delayed travel 'will give ample time for vaporization. A

similar travel will be taken by the fluid in the chamber B, so that the heat exchange is equally distributed.

Gas or vapor will be generated or evolved in accordance with the supply of liquid fuel to'the chamber A and thus, a small or limited supply,

as when the engine is under a light load, will produce a small or limited delivery of gas. As the engine load increases the liquid supply increases-and'thus theamount of gasdelivered,increases in proportion thereto.

Where the fuel liquid supply is small, the liquid maynot reach the ends of *the circuitous path; however, the

vapors will 'riseto the by-pass recess '29 in the top-cap H "and'flow to the outlet 25.

It is obvious that since the vapors or gas rise out'o'f 'the'circuitous path formed by the baiiles,

into the by-pass recess 29, they are out of heat exchange relation with baflles.

the partition and said By this arrangementthe'vapors, as soon as they are evolved or generated, are removed for an internal combustion engine. If the sup- :ply of fuel liquid is increased or is large, the chamber A will be-filled to a greater extent and produced. The by-pass 29 is important because it permits vapors rising at various points in the circuitous paths, to flow directly-to the outlet 25 and'not be superheated while so flowing.

It is pointed out that the pressure of the infiowing'fuel liquid may be reduced in the chamber A and such reduction would enhance the release of vapors; :tained in said chamber.

substantially assuch liquid contacts the heating 4 surfaces. The gas or vapor delivered is ready for use and after once reaching the by-pass recess 29, is not required to flow an elongated path; thus there is no unnecessary superheating.

If water is used as the heat transfer medium the danger of freezing is eliminated. In the construction herein set forth freezing would occur from one side only and there is no tendency to trap water and cause arupture of the vaporizer. --'I'ests %have shown that when the vaporizer is subjected to freezing, hoharmful results have occurred.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be madawithin the .scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the -invention. I

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters -Patent is:

1. A vaporizer including, a body having ;a

:substantially horizontal heat exchange partition, alternate substantially vertical baffles on each side of said partition, and caps secured to the body and enclosing the partition and bafiles therebetween, said caps having spaced inlets and outlets substantially perpendicular tothe planes of said caps, and each of said caps having a bypass recess on its inner side, the inlets and outlets of the caps opening directly into said recesses, and the bailiesbeing in the path of the media flowing between the inlets and the outlets and being arranged to provide tortuous flow paths .for said medial 2. A vaporizer-including, a body, a horizontal partition within the-body, vertical baffies extending upwardly and downwardly from thepartition and terminating substantially flush with the top and bottom edges of said body, a top cap secured onthe upper edge of the body having an inlet at one 'end and an outlet at its opposite endsaid inlet and outlet being entirely above the upwardly extending baffles, and a bottom oap secured on the lower edge of the body and "having an inlet at one end and an outlet at its ,cpposite end, said latter inlet and outlet being entirely below the downwardlyextending baffles, the top cap having a longitudinal by-pass recess overhanging and :being above the upwardly extending vertical'bafiles, and the bottom cap havinga longitudinal by-pass recess underlying and being below the vertical bafiies extending downwardly from the partition, and the bafiies being in the path of the media flowing between the inlets and theoutlets and-being arranged to provide tortuous flow paths for said media.

' SAM P. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Number Name Date 369,790 Herreshoif Sept. 13, 1887 453,801 Ackerson June -9, 1891 1,313,730 Pease Aug. 19, 1919 1,479,567 ".Horning :Jan. 1, 1924 1,559,909 Paul Nov. 3, 1925 1,567,810 Mock 'Dec. 29, 1925 1,828,472 Seligman Oct. 20, 931 

